^aEzequías comenzó a reinar cuando tenía veinticinco años, y reinó veintinueve años en Jerusalén. El nombre de su madre era Abías¹, hija de Zacarías. 2 E hizo lo recto ante los ojos del SEÑOR, conforme a todo lo que su padre David había hecho^a.

3 En el primer año de su reinado, en el mes primero, abrió las puertas de la casa del SEÑOR^a y las reparó. 4 Hizo venir a los sacerdotes y a los levitas y los reunió en la plaza oriental. 5 Entonces les dijo: Oídme, levitas. Santificaos ahora, y santificad la casa del SEÑOR^a, Dios de vuestros padres, y sacad lo inmundo del lugar santo. 6 Porque nuestros padres han sido infieles y han hecho lo malo ante los ojos del SEÑOR nuestro Dios, le han abandonado, han apartado sus rostros de la morada del SEÑOR y le han vuelto¹ las espaldas^a. 7 También han cerrado las puertas del pórtico y han apagado las lámparas, y no han quemado incienso ni ofrecido holocaustos en el lugar santo al Dios^a de Israel. 8 Por tanto vino la ira del SEÑOR^a contra Judá y Jerusalén, y Él los hizo objeto de espanto, de horror y de burla^b, como lo veis con vuestros propios ojos. 9 Porque he aquí, nuestros padres han caído a espada, y nuestros hijos y nuestras hijas y nuestras mujeres están en cautividad a causa de esto^a. 10 Ahora he decidido en mi corazón hacer un pacto con el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel^a, para que el ardor de su ira se aparte de nosotros. 11 Hijos míos, no seáis ahora negligentes, porque el SEÑOR os ha escogido a fin de que estéis delante de Él, para servirle^a y para ser sus ministros y quemar incienso.

12 Entonces se levantaron los levitas: Mahat^a, hijo de Amasai, y Joel, hijo de Azarías, de los hijos de los coatitas; y de los hijos de Merari^b, Cis, hijo de Abdi, y Azarías, hijo de Jehalelel; y de los gersonitas, Joa, hijo de Zima, y Edén, hijo de Joa; 13 de los hijos de Elizafán, Simri y Jeiel¹; y de los hijos de Asaf, Zacarías y Matanías; 14 de los hijos de Hemán, Jehiel y Simei; y de los hijos de Jedutún, Semaías y Uziel. 15 Yestos reunieron a sus hermanos, se santificaron^a y entraron para limpiar la casa del SEÑOR^b, conforme al mandamiento del rey según las palabras del SEÑOR^c. 16 Entraron los sacerdotes al interior de la casa del SEÑOR para limpiarla, y sacaron al atrio de la casa del SEÑOR todas las cosas inmundas que hallaron en el templo del SEÑOR. Entonces los levitas las recogieron¹ para llevarlas fuera al torrente Cedrón^a. 17 Comenzaron la santificación¹ el primer día del mes primero^a, y el octavo día del mes entraron al pórtico del SEÑOR; entonces santificaron la casa del SEÑOR en ocho días, y terminaron el día dieciséis del mes primero^b. 18 Y fueron al rey Ezequías, y le dijeron: Hemos limpiado toda la casa del SEÑOR, el altar del holocausto con todos sus utensilios, y la mesa del pan de la proposición con todos sus utensilios. 19 Además, todos los utensilios que el rey Acaz en su infidelidad había desechado^a durante su reino los hemos preparado y santificado, y he aquí, están delante del altar del SEÑOR.

20 Entonces el rey Ezequías se levantó temprano y reunió a los príncipes de la ciudad y subió a la casa del SEÑOR. 21 ^aY trajeron siete novillos, siete carneros, siete corderos y siete machos cabríos como ofrenda por el pecado del reino, por el santuario y por Judá. Y el rey ordenó a los sacerdotes, los hijos de Aarón, que los ofrecieran sobre el altar del SEÑOR. 22 Mataron los novillos¹, y los sacerdotes recogieron² la sangre y la esparcieron sobre el altar^a. También mataron los carneros y esparcieron la sangre sobre el altar; asimismo mataron los corderos y esparcieron la sangre sobre el altar. 23 Después trajeron los machos cabríos de la ofrenda por el pecado del rey y de la asamblea, y pusieron sus manos sobre ellos^a. 24 Los sacerdotes los mataron y purificaron el altar con su sangre como expiación^a por todo Israel, porque el rey había ordenado el holocausto y la ofrenda por el pecado por todo Israel.

25 Luego situó a los levitas en la casa del SEÑOR con címbalos, con arpas^a y con liras, conforme al mandamiento de David^b y de Gad, el vidente del rey^c, y del profeta Natán^d; porque el mandamiento procedía del SEÑOR por medio¹ de sus profetas. 26 Los levitas se colocaron con los instrumentos musicales de David^a, y los sacerdotes con las trompetas^b. 27 Entonces Ezequías mandó ofrecer el holocausto sobre el altar. Cuando el holocausto comenzó, también comenzó el canto al SEÑOR con las trompetas, acompañado por¹ los instrumentos de David^a, rey de Israel. 28 Mientras toda la asamblea adoraba, también los cantores cantaban y las trompetas sonaban; todo esto continuó hasta que se consumió el holocausto.

29 Después de consumido el holocausto, el rey y todos los que estaban con él se inclinaron y adoraron^a. 30 Entonces el rey Ezequías y los oficiales ordenaron a los levitas que cantaran alabanzas al SEÑOR con las palabras de David y del vidente Asaf. Cantaron alabanzas con alegría, y se inclinaron y adoraron^a. 31 Y Ezequías habló¹, y dijo: Ahora que vosotros os habéis consagrado^2a al SEÑOR, acercaos y traed sacrificios y ofrendas de gratitud a la casa del SEÑOR. Y la asamblea trajo sacrificios y ofrendas de gratitud, y todos los que quisieron^3b trajeron holocaustos. 32 El número de los holocaustos que la asamblea trajo fue de setenta bueyes, cien carneros y doscientos corderos; todos estos fueron para el holocausto al SEÑOR. 33 Y las cosas consagradas fueron seiscientos bueyes y tres mil ovejas. 34 Pero los sacerdotes eran pocos, y no pudieron desollar todos los holocaustos; por eso sus hermanos los levitas los ayudaron^a hasta que se acabó la obra y hasta que los otros sacerdotes se hubieron santificado. Porque los levitas fueron más cuidadosos¹ para santificarse que los sacerdotes^b. 35 Y hubo también holocaustos^a en abundancia con grosura de las ofrendas^b de paz y con libaciones para los holocaustos. Así quedó restablecido el servicio de la casa del SEÑOR^c. 36 Entonces se regocijó Ezequías con todo el pueblo por lo que Dios había preparado para el¹ pueblo, pues todo² sucedió rápidamente.

^aHezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 ^aHe did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he ^aopened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the square on the east.

5 Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. ^aConsecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out from the holy place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the LORD our God, and have forsaken Him and ^aturned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and have ¹turned their backs. 7 They have also ^ashut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore ^athe wrath of the LORD was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of ^bhissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, ^aour fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart ^ato make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for ^athe LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”

12 Then the Levites arose: ^aMahath, the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of ^bthe Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and ¹Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and from the sons of Heman, ¹Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, ^aconsecrated themselves, and went in ^bto cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the commandment of the king ^cby the words of the LORD. 16 So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites received it to carry out to ^athe Kidron ¹valley. 17 Now they began ¹the consecration ^aon the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the LORD. Then they consecrated the house of the LORD in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils, and the table of showbread with all of its utensils. 19 Moreover, ^aall the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.”

20 Then King Hezekiah arose early and assembled the princes of the city and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats ^afor a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs also and ^asprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and ^athey laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood ^ato atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 ^aHe then stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with harps and with lyres, ^baccording to the command of David and of ^cGad the king’s seer, and of ^dNathan the prophet; for the command was from the LORD through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with ^athe musical instruments of David, and ^bthe priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, ^athe song to the LORD also began with the trumpets, ¹accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, ^athe king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and Asaph the seer. ^aSo they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “^aNow that you have ¹consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and ^ball those who were ²willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 The consecrated things were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; ^atherefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had consecrated themselves. For ^bthe Levites were more ¹conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. 35 There were also ^1amany burnt offerings with ^bthe fat of the peace offerings and with ^cthe libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the LORD was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.

^aHezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 ^aHe did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that his father David had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he ^aopened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the public square on the east.

5 Then he said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites. ^aConsecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the LORD our God, and they have abandoned Him and ^aturned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and have ¹turned their backs. 7 They have also ^ashut the doors of the porch and extinguished the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore ^athe wrath of the LORD was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of ^bhissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, ^aour fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this. 10 Now it is in my heart ^ato make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, so that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for ^athe LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”

12 Then the Levites arose: ^aMahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of ^bthe Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and ¹Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and from the sons of Heman, ¹Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, ^aconsecrated themselves, and went in ^bto cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the commandment of the king ^cby the words of the LORD. 16 So the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and they brought every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD out to the courtyard of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites received it to carry out to ^athe Kidron ¹Valley. 17 Now they began ¹the consecration ^aon the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the LORD. Then they consecrated the house of the LORD in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table of the showbread with all of its utensils. 19 Moreover, ^aall the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.”

20 Then King Hezekiah got up early and assembled the princes of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats ^aas a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs as well, and ^asprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and ^athey laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purified the altar with their blood ^ato atone for all Israel, because the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 ^aHe then stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, ^baccording to the command of David and of ^cGad, the king’s seer, and of ^dNathan the prophet; for the command was from the LORD through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with ^athe musical instruments of David, and ^bthe priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, ^athe song to the LORD also began with the trumpets, ¹accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, ^athe king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and Asaph the seer. ^aSo they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “^aNow that you have ¹consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come forward and bring sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and ^beveryone who was ²willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all of these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 The consecrated offerings were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; ^atherefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was finished and the other priests had consecrated themselves. For ^bthe Levites were more ¹conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. 35 There were also ^1amany burnt offerings with ^bthe fat of the peace offerings and ^cthe drink offerings for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of the LORD was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.